10 Rue Scribe
by The Vicomtesse
Summary: A Phantom of the Opera story based on the movie 10 Cloverfield Lane (no aliens though I promise). Christine and Raoul are out in Raoul's new motorcar when a mysterious accident leaves Christine trapped in a home underground with a strange, moody host in a mask. She must figure out how to save Raoul and escape... if she can.
1. Chapter 1

Christine Daae loved her life. She had a wonderful job in the chorus of the Opera Garnier, she had quite a few friends from the ballerinas and chorus members there, and now… she had a very handsome suitor. The Vicomte de Chagny! But she would always know him as Raoul, the little boy who rescued her scarf. They had been seeing each other for a few months now, and while gossip swirled around them like sewer filth, she did not care. She had her wonderful Vicomte and they would be together no matter what anyone else had to say about it.

She was in his arms now as they rode in the back of Raoul's brand new motorcar through the countryside by Paris. She looked up at him, smiling as she stoked her fingers across his cheek. "I'm so glad to be here with you." She said softly. "Truly. You make me so happy."  
He took her fingers and kissed them gently. "I could say the very same for you, Christine. Since we found each other once more, there has been a new joy in my life that I can't explain."  
"I can explain it." She smiled, shifting closer to him. "But I'm afraid you'll have to persuade it out of me."

He chuckled at that. "Hmmmm…" He put his hands on her waist, drawing her ever closer as the motorcar continued on, the driver ignoring them in the back. "I think I can be very persuasive."

"Show me." She smiled. And with that, he kissed her soundly. Oh, how she loved to kiss him! She settled completely into his embrace, ignoring the rest of the world. It melted every single time they kissed.

However, the world was brought back into sharp focus when, with a sickening crunch, another motorcar going much too fast collided violently with theirs. Christine lost track of Raoul and the driver as she was thrown through the window, glass shards flying everywhere, cutting into her skin. She landed hard on the cobblestones, cracking her head. It made her very dizzy, but she saw fire… the driver wasn't moving… and she saw Raoul! He was laying on what used to be the hood of the car, resting on top of the twisted metal and broken glass. He was bleeding! She tried to get to him, but the dizziness got worse until darkness crowded the edges of her vision. She collapsed on the street and soon fell unconscious.

The first thing she smelled was bacon. Someone was cooking bacon. And, as Christine regained consciousness, the pain became apparent. Every muscle was sore. Surely it wouldn't hurt so much if she were dead… She opened her eyes and realized she was in a bedroom. It wasn't her own, and that confused her. She sat up painfully and examined herself, taking account of all the cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Most of all her head hurt, right at the back where it had struck the cobblestones.

The room itself was finely furnished. A grand bed, paintings on the walls, a nightstand, an armchair… yes, it was tastefully done. She had no idea where she was, she had never seen such a place before. She had to find Raoul! And the driver! She said a quick prayer for both of their lives and attempted to get to her feet, but with a jolt of fear she realized that her ankle was chained to the wall beside the bed. What was this?!

Christine panicked, pulling at the chain and trying to free herself, but it was bolted firmly. She tried to slip her foot through the manacle, but it was too big. She pulled and pulled, scraping at the skin, but then froze in a panic when she heard footsteps approaching. She backed into the corner of the bed, desperately searching for a weapon. There were none to be had.

"Ah good, you're awake!" The door opened to reveal a tall, extremely thin man wearing a mask, carrying a tray of food.

"Please…" Christine begged. "Please don't hurt me. Please let me go! I- I haven't much money but I'll give you whatever you want!"

The man chuckled and set the breakfast tray on the nightstand. "Calm down. I am not going to hurt you." He said. His voice was curious. Very rich, the kind of voice that could inspire and move people.

"Then- then why am I chained?!" She demanded. "Who are you?! Where am I?! Where is Raoul?!"

"Shhhh…" He sat down on the edge of her bed and she immediately scooted as far away from him as possible. "The chain was to keep you from panicking and hurting yourself. My name is Erik. You are in my home, safe and secure. And as for Raoul, I assume you mean the boy you were with? He is here as well, although he is asleep."

Raoul was here! "I want to see him!" She said firmly.

"I'm afraid that will not be possible just yet." He replied. "You need to rest after hitting your head like that! I'm so grateful I found the wreck only minutes after it happened! I'm sorry to say the two drivers died, but both you and the boy are alive. This is what we must be grateful for."

"Please…" She pleaded again. "We need a doctor. Let us go!"

"I am a doctor." He replied, taking up the tray and setting it in front of her. "Now, eat."

Christine just stared at it for a long moment. "Unchain me. Please."

"Do you promise you won't get up?" He asked.

"I- Um…" She stammered. But then she sighed. "Yes, I promise. I won't get up." At least not while he was in the room.

The man, Erik, nodded and took a key from his pocket. In a moment the shackle around her ankle was gone and she curled up to get away from him. "Now… eat." He said, pushing the tray towards her. "And be grateful for this food. No one has what we have now, I can guarantee that!"

"What do you mean by that?" She asked as she hesitantly poked at the food.

"No, all of that will be explained later. For now, just eat. Erik will take very good care of you, Christine."

She paused. "I never told you my name." She whispered fearfully.

He was silent for a moment before he smiled. "No, but the boy said it a few times in his sleep. I assumed it could be no one but you."

She looked at him, trying to understand the eyes behind the mask. That was plausible, she supposed. So she nodded and kept eating. It made her very uncomfortable how Erik just her eat without comment. He just… stared. She did not like it and it only strengthened her resolve to get away from him.

She kept her head down until she finished the meal and Erik took the tray away. "Now, rest. I'll return with another meal in a few hours."

"Please, let me see Raoul!" She asked once more.

"I said no!" He replied sharply. "Stay in bed or you'll make yourself worse!"

She recoiled at that and nodded. Apparently this man had a temper. In a moment, however, his anger disappeared and he seemed to smile behind the mask. "Rest well, Christine." He shut the door and to Christine's horror, she heard the click of a lock.

There were no windows. The only way out was through that door, and he'd just locked it. She was his prisoner now, and it terrified her. What was Raoul going through? Was he a prisoner too? Who was Erik, and what did he want with her?

One thing was certain, though. Christine Daae was not about to sit still and wait for something to happen. As she looked around the room, ideas began to form. She would break out of this room, find Raoul, and the two of them would escape from… whatever this place was.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything was ready. Christine had planned this out very carefully while the masked man was away. On the nightstand was a porcelain pitcher full of water for washing, and she intended to use it against the man. She'd emptied it of most of the water and practiced her swing a few times. She would hit him over the head, find Raoul, and escape while the man was unconscious. Now all she had to do was wait for him to enter.

Eventually she heard footsteps returning, and she sprang up with the pitcher in hand. She waited behind the door, her heart beating so fast she was sure the man could hear it from the other side of the door as he unlocked it. "Christine!" He called cheerfully. "I have more food for you!"

He entered with a tray and in the split second before he realized she wasn't in bed, Christine sprang forward and smashed the pitcher against the side of his head with all her strength. Food spilled everywhere as the tray clattered to the ground and the man crumpled.

She wasted no time in running out the door, finding herself in a lavishly decorated main room. She wildly looked around to find an exit, but let out a gasp when she saw Raoul in the corner. He was laying on a mattress on the floor with a blanket thrown over him. "Raoul!" She cried, running to kneel by him. "We have to go now!"

He didn't answer. His eyes were closed, apparently deeply asleep. She shook him roughly, desperate for him to wake up. "Please… please wake up!" She tore the blanket from him and let out another gasp when she saw that his right leg was in a plaster of Paris cast, his left arm in a sling. He was injured! Still, she was determined to get them both out, so she attempted to pull him up and drag him along with her. He was so heavy! She got her arms underneath his and tried to drag him off the mattress, but the clinking of metal made her heart sink. She lay him back down and examined him, finding that the manacle was built into the cast, no doubt locked around the leg underneath it.

When she realized this she groaned and knelt beside him once more. And she shook him until he let out a groan. "Raoul!" She said. "Wake up! It's me!"

He opened his eyes and Christine knew immediately that something was wrong with him. His pupils were pinpricks, the bright blue iris seeming huge in comparison. And he smiled lazily at her. "Hello…" He said slowly.

"Raoul, what is wrong with you?!" She asked, checking to see if he had a fever. "What has he done to you?!"

"Made… he made the pain… go away…" He said. His speech was so slow! "I'm tired… But I feel good! Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, but we have to run!" She said, taking his hand and kissing it. "He could wake up at any moment! Do you know where the keys are?!"

He looked around slowly, still smiling. "He… has them…"

Of course he did. She should have gotten them when she had to chance! Did she dare go back and try to get them? He could wake up! "What should I do?!" She asked out loud, squeezing his hand tightly.

"You… run…" Raoul said to her. "Go…"

"And leave you here?"

He nodded, closing his eyes. "Go… Get the gendarmes…"

Christine did not know what to do. She couldn't just leave him there with a man who had chained them both up… but if she didn't go now, would this chance come again? There had to be another way! "I'll free you!" She said to him.

She got up and began to search through the room, looking through every drawer and cupboard. It seemed that the man was well-prepared to live down there. He had an entire room full of dried and preserved foods, not to mention the tools and extra maintenance supplies. Curiously there was also a large organ in the corner, but she knew that wouldn't help her free Raoul so she did not spend time looking at it.

Finally she found what she was looking for: a hacksaw. It was with numerous other tools, and she took a hammer and a sharp knife to protect herself as well. She knelt next to Raoul, who was watching her without comment, and she began to saw at his chain, comforting him and telling him that she would free him and get him to safety.

After what seemed like an eternity in her panic, she was making very little progress and it frustrated her. "Christine…" Came Raoul's slow, mellow voice. "Go. Please… go… I love… you… Go."

She looked back at him for a moment and a tear slipped down her cheek. "I'll find you again! I'll get the gendarmes, I swear!"

He nodded and smiled. "Go…"

She tried just one more time with the hacksaw, but the chain was thick and it was not working. So she knelt by Raoul's head and kissed him very gently. "I love you. See you soon." He smiled and nodded in return.

Just as she was standing up to find a way out, she heard an angry yell from her room, and in a flash of panic she realized she hadn't closed the door. She didn't have time to curse this lapse before the man came barreling out of the room. His mask was slightly askew and his head was bleeding. "Christine!" He bellowed.

She took the knife and the hammer and ran for it, trying to find a door. She heard the clinking sound of some bottles before he came after her. "Don't you dare leave! You won't be safe up there!"

She ignored him, running until she found a door. It was thick and locked securely with a large padlock, but she would not be deterred. She took the hammer and began to strike the lock as hard as she could, desperately praying that it would break before the man caught up with her.

She managed to do some damage before the man came into the entranceway. In his hand was a rag. He froze and said, "Stop that! You'll let them in!"

She faced him, holding the knife in front of her. "Give me the key!" She demanded.

"You don't know what you're saying!" He said, taking a step closer to her. She backed away, still holding the knife and the hammer.

"Yes I do! Give me the key or- or else!" She said firmly

"No, no, going up there will ensure your death! Drop the knife and I'll explain."

"I just want the key!" Christine shouted. "Let us go!"

The man sighed, and then he lunged forward, grabbing Christine's wrist that held the knife with his hand that wasn't holding the rag. Christine struggled, fighting him and trying to hit him with her hammer. She landed one blow to his arm, but it wasn't a powerful one and it gave him the opportunity to grab her other wrist and shake the hammer out of it.

"I don't want to hurt you, Christine." He said, turning calm as she struggled against him. "You are safe here. So is the boy. Let go of the knife."

She ignored his words and tried to wrestle herself free of him. He was surprisingly strong for how thin he appeared! With a sigh he twisted her wrist so she had no choice but to drop the knife as well. Then he forcefully turned her around and held her against his chest in a tight grip. "Let go!" She screamed. "Someone help me! Help me please!"

"There is no one to hear you." He said calmly. Then he pressed the rag over her mouth and nose, and to her horror it smelled chemical. "Calm down now. You don't understand yet, but soon you will thank me for saving your life. Just breathe… Ether can calm anyone…" His voice was soothing and gentle as he held the rag to her face.

She tried to hold her breath and push away from him, but eventually she had to gasp in air, and with it the chemical. The smell was nauseating. The minutes dragged, her struggles ceasing as lethargy took over. Is this what he did to Raoul? It was only when she went limp in his arms that he removed the rag. "There now." He said softly. "Everyone is safe once more."

He picked her up and carried her back through the main room where she saw Raoul watching. Or she thought she did. Everything was hazy. He gently lay her on the bed, but as he went to put the chain back on her ankle she pleaded, "No… please…"

"I must." He said, sounding genuinely sad to do so. "You've hurt me, Christine. I trusted you, and you hurt me. Look at the mess you've made." He pointed to the floor where food, blood, and the remains of the porcelain pitcher were strewn everywhere. "You must apologize for what you've done."

Her mind was slowly beginning to clear, her muscles beginning to regain their feeling. "I want… I want to leave…"

"No." He said firmly. Once her chain was secure he began to clean up the mess with one hand, pressing a clean rag to his bleeding head wound. And he talked the entire time. "You will apologize to me for this. I have saved your life and the life of that miserable boy and this is how I am repaid? With violence? It won't do, Christine. It simply will not do. You will stay there until you apologize and until I can trust you again."

"What… what did you do to Raoul?" She asked, trying to make her brain concentrate.

He looked at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. "I think you need to sleep. Yes, sleep will make you feel better." He took the debris from the room and after a moment returned with a cup. "Drink this."

She tried to back away, but her body was weak from the chemical. "No." She replied.

"Drink it!" He said, his temper flaring again. "Or I'll get the rag again and make you! I am trying to help and all you do is complain and refuse! Perhaps I ought to have left you up there and now you'd be nothing but a rotting corpse! You should be grateful I am so well prepared, you horrible girl!"

His sudden shifts from calm to angry terrified her. She had never seen anything like it. She stared at him, unable to think clearly of what to do. He pressed the cup to her lips and she tried to pull away, but he held her head there. She had no choice but to drink. It was laudanum, she recognized the taste and smell. "Very good." Erik smiled, letting her go. "Now you will sleep peacefully while I finish cleaning up. And when you awaken, I expect an apology. Goodnight, Christine."

She turned away from him as slowly she realized how much power this man had over her. Before the laudanum took hold, she had the thought that she would have to use a more subtle method to escape. And then she fell into a deep, drug-induced sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It took Christine a long time to wake up. She lay in the bed, weak and afraid. This man was mad, she was absolutely sure of it. She didn't know what to make of his claim that he'd saved her, really she didn't. Saved her from what? The crash? He made it seem like something much more sinister than that.

Still, she realized that if she ever wanted to leave, she would have to play along, at least for a while. And, of course, make sure Raoul was safe too. She did not like seeing him so lethargic and drugged. Raoul always exuded energy and health and it was disturbing to have him so slow and weak. Yes, in order to protect Raoul and herself, she would have to play along until the opportunity came.

Eventually she heard the sound of the door being unlocked, and Erik entered. "How are you feeling, Christine?"

"Better." She said meekly.

"Good, very good." He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. "I believe that you owe me an apology."

"I- I do." She said quietly. "I am very sorry for what I did."

"And you will not do it again?" He pressed.

"No, I won't do it again."

He smiled. "Very good. Would you like to come sit at the table for breakfast?"

"Yes please." She replied. Anything to get out of this room.

He unchained her and helped her to her feet. She did not like touching him, but she didn't say anything. He led her back to the main room, where Raoul was still spread out on his mattress. "Raoul?" She asked.

"I don't think he's in any state to talk, my dear." Erik said, pulling out a chair for her.

"Why not? What have you done to him?"

He appeared to raise an eyebrow. "I saved him. And I have given him opium for his pain. The poor boy is lucky he got to keep his leg at all, the bone was nearly through the skin. As it is, he will never be quite the same again."

"Oh…" She sighed, watching her love closely. He was awake, it seemed, but he was unfocused, just staring at the ceiling, his breath coming slowly. "But he will recover, won't he?"

"I hope so." Erik said, although his tone sounded angry. And then he abruptly changed the subject. "Can you cook, Christine?"

"Well enough." She replied with a shrug.

"Then you will take your turn cooking meals. We all must work together now that we're down here." He said as he began to boil water on the stove.

"Why are we down here?" She asked. "This house is very impressive, it must have taken a lot of time to build and stock…"

Erik swelled with pride. "Oh, it did. And quite a lot of money too! You see, Christine, I am a visionary man. I have seen the terrors of the past, and I knew that eventually another would be unleashed. And so I prepared for when men once again ran mad and spilled their fellow's blood.

Christine was not following. "I don't understand, what does this have to do with me? With Raoul?"

Erik turned to look at her for a moment, and then he sat down next to her. She scooted away just a little bit, she did not like being close to him. "Do you remember the war with the Prussians or the commune, my dear? Or had you even been born yet?" He asked.

"I- I don't think so. That was in the seventies, wasn't it?" She asked.

"1870 to 1871, to be precise."

"Oh, no, I wasn't born until 1876." She said. "And I spent most of my growing up outside of Paris."

At that, Erik chuckled. "How very young you are! I should like to be that young again. Full of vigor and life, as you are. Well, I remember the commune well, for I was about your age when it happened. Napoleon the third surrendered to the Prussians, and they soon came to lay siege on Paris. A new government was set up, people were angry, and the war dragged on. The Prussians bombarded us with shells for days on end. They left after the armistice was signed, but things did not get better. We French have a habit of political cannibalism, you see. Revolution after revolution has not cured our taste for our own blood, and this was no different. The National Guard fought beneath the Communards, trying to prevent the Army of Versailles from taking Paris for the Republic. The fighting was bitter outside of Paris, but when they came to Paris and invaded… it was a blood bath the likes of which you have never seen."

"My father…" Raoul interrupted, which made Christine jump. She hadn't realized he'd been paying attention. "He fought…"

"No doubt on the side of the Republic." Erik said scornfully. "I'd imagine the nobles fancied being in an army named after Versailles. Be quiet, boy. No one asked you and no one cares what you father did."

Christine was surprised by the hostility in Erik's voice. It worried her. It was clear he did not care for Raoul, so she would have to be twice as vigilant. "I still don't understand what this all has to do with us. It's 1897, we've long moved passed this!"

"Have we?" Erik asked, turning his gaze back to Christine. "I saw the blood. I saw the barricades. I watched as women and children were trampled beneath the feet of soldiers advancing through once-quiet streets. That is not something you easily forget."

"I'm sure it's not, but there were no rebellions or revolutions happening the night of the car accident!"

"Were you in Paris that day, Christine?" He asked quietly.

At that, she paused. "No… I suppose not… Raoul and I spent the day in the countryside."

"And so how on earth do you know that there was no revolution?"

"I- Well… because… because there simply wasn't! There was no reason for one!"

"There was. I saw it." He said. "Men pouring into the streets with guns, shooting whoever they saw. Buildings on fire, women screaming, children crying, the streets running with blood once more… Oh, how Paris never tires of blood!"

"But- but why?" Christine asked, suspicious. "What sparked it?"

"You know that France has been expanding into Africa, colonizing the people there. Well, word came of how France had conquered Madagascar and exiled its queen, to add to the other African colonies. And yet… none of the wealth from Africa has been flowing into the pockets of the average man. Only the wealthy have seen any profit from it, but we send our soldiers there to die of disease." Erik explained. "It made the average man angry. All that wealth, and yet there are people starving on the streets. And so that morning, they had simply had enough. And soon barricades were being built, just as they have in the past. I'm sure it's still going on, right above our heads."

Christine thought for a moment. It sounded plausible, but at the same time it could very well be false. "If you saw it… then how were you on the road to save us?" She finally asked.

"I saw what was happening and left Paris to get the last of the supplies I needed. I found you two on my way back and carried you both down here amidst the fighting." He explained simply.

"Why us?" She asked. "If so many were dying, then why us?"

He was silent for a moment, staring at her. And then he said, "Enough questions. We will eat now." He got up to continue making breakfast.

"Wait, no, does this mean we cannot leave?" Christine asked. "How long do you plan on having us here?"

"I said no more questions!" He replied, his mood turning suddenly. "You should thank me I bothered to stop at all! Had you and the boy returned to Paris you would have been killed! Especially the boy- nobility are always the first to go in a revolution! And his brother has interests in Africa! No doubt Philippe de Chagny was executed already."

"No…." Raoul said from the corner. "No, he… can't…"

"I'm sure he is." Erik said flatly. "You have no family and no friends anymore, boy, so I suggest you learn to be grateful for my hospitality."

"How do you know that?" Christine asked before it escalated. "How do you know he's a noble? Or who his family is?!"

"Because he told me his name. Don't be stupid, Christine, it doesn't suit you at all." He replied fiercely. "Now stop talking! No more questions! We will have our food and then we will have some entertainment and you will not ask me any more questions! Is that clear?!"

She very nearly shot back an angry retort, but she thought better of it. She didn't know whether or not this man was telling the truth. Could it be that above their heads a war was happening? Or was he simply lying? Or mad? She didn't know, and that frightened her more than anything. She had to play this game until she found out for sure. And so she nodded, agreeing not to ask any more questions.

Erik's mood shifted again and he put on his phonograph as he cooked. Christine went to Raoul's side and tried to make him more comfortable, wiping his face and chest down with a cool cloth and helping him change positions so he didn't get bed sores or an infection. And then she bent down and gave him a kiss, which made him smile sleepily.

In the next moment, she felt a grip as strong as iron clamp down on her upper arm. "I will have none of that!" Erik said, pulling her away from Raoul.

"What?!" She asked, trying to break his grip. "What did I do?!"

"Kissing! Affection!" He spat in her face. "You are not to touch him like that!"

"Why not?! I love him!" She said, confused. This seemed to make him angrier than anything else had, what little she could see of his face was red with fury.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NO MORE QUESTIONS!" He yelled, pushing her violently back into her chair. "You will do as I ask! You owe me for saving your life! You owe me, Christine!"

Scuffling noises came from Raoul's corner as he tried to stand up, to get to her. "Don't… touch her!" He said, fighting the opium. His chain clinked as he moved, but he kept trying. "Let her go!"

"I think it is time for more medicine, boy." Erik said furiously. "Christine, do not move from that chair or so help me I will lock you back in your room for a week!"

"No!" She said quickly. "No, wait. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I didn't know it would upset you! I won't kiss him again, I promise! He's just being protective, he doesn't need any more medicine. Everything is fine!"

There was a moment of silence as Erik stared at her, contemplating. Raoul was unable to stay balanced and sunk back onto his mattress, breathing heavily from the effort. Finally Erik said, "Very well. We will eat." With that he went back to preparing the meal. Christine was silent as she waited, but her mind was whirling. Who was this man? Why did he seem to hate Raoul so much? Why did he wear a mask? She had so many questions, but she knew that asking any of them would only land her back in that room with a chain around her ankle.

No, asking did no good. She would have to find out for herself. If there really was a revolution above their heads, she would rather be a part of that then be down here with Erik. She would wait for Raoul to heal so that he could go with her, and then they would figure out a way to escape together and take their chances in a revolution. Anything to get away from this mad man.


	4. Chapter 4

Days passed. Or at least… Christine slept and woke a few times. She had no idea how many days she'd been here, as there were no windows. It was disorienting and she missed the sun.

She had done her very best to be pleasant to Erik. She didn't question him or try to escape, she just listened to him talk or read aloud or play his organ. Sometimes she sang with him, and he began giving her voice lessons… and it was clear he would give them whether she wanted them or not.

As time passed, though, her main concern became Raoul. He did not move from the mattress and he always seemed to be drugged. And he was getting thinner. He barely woke up anymore and it worried her constantly. Erik insisted that he was fine, it was just a symptom of his broken leg, and that Christine wasn't to give him anything, not even food or water. He got terribly upset if she tried.

Finally she decided she needed to speak to Raoul when Erik wasn't around. It was difficult, as he never seemed to sleep, but finally he disappeared into his own bedroom- which was absolutely forbidden- and stayed there for enough time that Christine was certain he was asleep.

She put down her book and knelt at Raoul's side, trying to wake him up. "Raoul…" She whispered as she gently shook him. He smelled terrible! He hadn't changed his clothes once in all the time they'd been there, even though Erik had managed to produce a full wardrobe for her. "Raoul, please wake up!"

He let out a groan and opened his eyes, looking up at her. And he smiled dimly. "Hello…"

She returned his smile. "Hello. How do you feel?"

"Tired." He said. "And- and shaky. I'm so hungry…"

She paused at that, confused. "Hungry? Haven't you been eating? Erik's made a plate for you every night, he told me you eat when I'm asleep…"

He slowly shook his head. "No… Christine, my leg…"

"Does it hurt?" She asked.

"No." He said, taking her hand lightly. "It… never did…"

"What?" She asked, her eyes widening. "What do you mean it never did?"

"That." He sighed. "I don't… think it's broken…"

"Perhaps that's just because he's been giving you laudanum." She said.

"I hate it." He replied quietly. "I want… to go home…"

"I know. I do too." She said. "Wait here, I'll get you some food." She got up and searched the kitchen until she found some dried meat and fruit, as well as some water. She knelt beside him once more and began to feed him. "Why hasn't he been giving you food?" She asked.

"He doesn't… like me…" He replied, laying back once the food was gone.

"I know, but that is no reason to withhold food!" She said. "What is going on up there, Raoul? Is he right?"

He shrugged. "I don't know… Perhaps. But I would rather… go up there… and risk it."

She considered that for a moment, and then nodded. "If your leg really isn't broken then maybe you could try to stand? It would make it easier once I discover how to escape."

"Alright… I'll try…" Christine tried to help him to his feet and he was able to stand, but the chain prevented him from going anywhere. One thing was certain though- his leg was certainly not broken. If Erik lied about that then what else had he fabricated?

She heard a noise and quickly helped him back down onto the mattress. "I'll find a way to break your chain, Raoul." She said. "I promise! I'll get us both out!"

He just nodded, tired out by standing. Oh, this was awful! It really was up to her. She went back to her room, but she didn't sleep. Raoul was not being treated, he was being sedated and starved. Why? But she knew it was pointless to ask her host.

The next day, Erik came to her room and announced, "My dear, I have something for which I need your help. You are smaller than I."

"What do you need? I'll help in whatever way I can." She said to keep him happy.

"Follow me." He led her through the home to a door near the forbidden entrance that Christine had never investigated, assuming it was a closet. How wrong she was! He opened it and it revealed a room full of stacks of boxes and barrels, as well as shelves of bottles containing a clear liquid. "What is all of this, Erik?" She asked carefully.

"Did I never tell you that I am a chemist?" He asked cheerfully, leading her to the back of the room. "I adore chemicals of all sorts. Mixing them and seeing what they can do is a passion almost as important as my music."

"Oh." She said, edging away from the bottles. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"It is." He replied. "Extremely. One wrong move and you can die! For example, those bottles are filled with pure sulfur mustard."

"Sulfur mustard?" Christine asked curiously. "I've never heard of such a thing. Is it anything like the kind that you eat?"

"No! No, they are called this because the gas smells vaguely like mustard. You would never want to put this in your body, you would die a painful death." He said, chuckling at the idea. "As it is, even exposure to the skin will cause horrific blisters and burns. Woe upon you if you get it in your eyes or inhale it."

"Oh… But if it is so dangerous then why do you keep it?" She asked.

He paused for a moment. "For protection, my dear. Anyone who tried to break in would find themselves at its mercy."

"I see." She replied. That idea terrified her, but at the same time… could she use it against him? That could go horribly wrong, as she knew nothing about the substance. But it was an idea.

"Now! I need you to climb up this stack of boxes to reach that vent." He pointed to a small opening near the ceiling. "I would send the boxes tumbling, but you are light enough to make it just fine. It's become blocked with some dead creature and we need it clear for air."

"Dead creature?" Christine asked, surprised. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, a cat or a large rodent or some such thing. Go on, up you get. You're the only one who can." He said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the pile. She didn't like that and removed her hand as soon as she could.

"I'm not certain that this is a good idea." She said nervously. "And am I meant to remove the creature with my bare hands?"

"Here." He said, his good mood fading. He took his handkerchief and gave it to her. "Now go."

With that, Christine knew she risked another tantrum if she did not do as he asked, and that wouldn't help her cause at all. So she nodded, took a deep breath, and began to climb. To her relief it felt fairly stable and she reached the vent without problems.

She opened it and indeed found a dead cat. The odd thing was how its flesh was blistered and eaten away, rotting and oozing. It nearly made her sick! She held her breath and used the handkerchief to pull it out by its tail. As she did, however, she froze. From above her head came the sound of a voice. A child's voice. "Two sous! Two sous a paper! Buy a paper, monsieur?" The voice faded, but to Christine this was absolute proof that there was no war above. If there was, boys would not be cheerfully peddling newspapers!

"Christine, come down!" Erik called, getting impatient.

She hesitated. If he found out she heard something… No, best to keep pretending. She had to talk to Raoul! They had to escape, now more than ever!

She climbed back down the stack and dropped the carcass of the cat. "Poor creature." Erik said sadly. "Looks like it got into one of my bottles… This is what sulfur mustard does, Christine. It's a horrible and painful way to die."

"Yes, I can see that. I think I shall go take a bath, if that's alright with you." She said, desperate to get away from him.

"An excellent idea. Wash your hands and arms thoroughly, we can't have you getting sick!" He said it with an intensity that surprised her. "No, no, you mustn't ever be sick. You're perfect."

"I- um… thank you." She said, uncomfortable. "I'll go now."

With that she turned and all but fled the room, going to bathe. Erik was right about one thing- she could not come down with an illness or an injury. Not because she was perfect as he claimed, but because she was desperate to escape from masks and chemicals and lies and darkness.


End file.
